Fence



No Model.

J. L. WOODWARD.

FENCE.

.No. 561,849. Patented June 9, 1896.

ANDREW B.GRANAM.PHUWWO.WASH1KGTUN.D C

.UavITED STATES PATENT Urricn.

JOSUPl-I LLOYD XVOODIVARD, OF WEST LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY.

FENCE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 561,849, dated June 9,1896.

Application filed December 22,1894. Serial No. 532,688, (No model.)

To (0Z5 whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, J osurn LLOYD Wool)- WARD, ofW'est Louisville,county of Davies, State of Kentu chy, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Fences, of which the following is aspecification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

The object of my invention is to produce a simple, economical, portablefence that may be set up with'iacility wherever required. and that isreadily conformable to the character of the ground upon which it is set.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure I is a perspective view of aportion of my fence. Fig. II is a side view of one form of rider withthe panel in place. Fig. III is a side elevation of another form ofrider, illustrating the cross-piece separated from one brace in fulllines and attached thereto in dotted lines. Fig. IV is a side elevationof the panel, illustrating the panel-adjusting mechanism.

Referring to the figures on the drawings, 1 indicates the upper rail ofa fence-panel, 2 the lower rail thereof, and 3 battens securing thelntogether. The upper and lower rails project beyond the terminal battens,so that when two panels are joined end to end the ends of the upper andlower rails may overlap and at the same time leave a space between theadjacent battens, into which may be introduced a rider orsupporting-frame for holding the panels in the firm upright position. Iprefer to construct my rider of legs or brace-pieces 5 and 6, havingnotches 7 in their upper ends that clamp upon the overlapping ends ofthe rails of the adjacent panels. The legs 5 and 6 are pivoted together,as indicated at 8, so that the notches maybe brought into engagementwith the rails. lVhen in engagement they hold them against lateraldisplacement and support them against gravity.

For securing the posit-ions of the clamps upon the rails, and also forpreventing the upper rail from being lifted out or" the notches, Iprovide across-piece 9, pivoted, asindicated at 10, to one of the legs5, and provide adjustable fastening mechanism for securing thecross-piece to the other leg. This mechanism may consist simply of anaperture 11 in the cross-piece 9 and an aperture 12 in the leg, togetherwith a pin 13, that is designed to be inserted into both of theapertures when in alinement and hold the parts together. I prefer,however, to employ a rectangular slot-frame, which may be made of aniron rod 14, secured to the rail and opening in the path of thebrace-piece 9. Upon the upper side of the rod I provide a gravity-pawl15, that engages with notches 16 in the upper edge of the cross'pieceand aifords convenient means for adjusting the spread of the legs andholding the parts in the required position.

The function of the cross-piece, in addition to its constitutingmechanism for spreading the legs and clamping the top rail, is to securethe adjacent extremities of the lowest rails of the panels againstupward or lateral movement, and for the reception of such ad jacent endsthe cross-piece is provided upon its under side with a medial notch orrecess 10.

For holding the anchor in place upon the ground I provide, preferably,on one leg a pivoted loop 17, that is designed to engage with a stake18, that is driven wherever required into the ground.

In order to make the panels conform to irregular ground, the battens arepivotally secured to the rails, as illustrated at 20, so that anyrequired angle between the rails and the battens maybe readilyimpartedby bringing the rails nearer to each other than when they areperpendicular to the battens.

21 indicates a brace-rod pivoted, as indicated at 22, to one of therails-as, for example, the bottom one. At its opposite end it isprovided with a slot 33, whose sides engage with a screw or bolt 2i.When the screw or bolt is loosened, the brace-rod readily allows thepivotal movement of the rails upon battens; but when the requiredadjustment is made the parts may be firmly secured together by turningthe screw.

IVhat I claim is As a part of a portable fence, a rider consisting ofthe combination of two legs pivoted together and provided withcorrelative notches above the pivot, a cross-piece pivoted to one of thelegs and provided with a series of notches at its opposite end and witha medial notch orrecess in its under side, a, rectangular frameconsisting of a bar secured to one of the legs and designed to receivethe end of the cross-piece, and a pawl pivoted upon the upper part ofthe frame and engaging the notches in said cross-piece, substantially asspecified.

In testimony of all which I have hereunto subscribed my name.

JOSUPH LLOYD WOODhVARD.

itnesses:

J. O. OBRYAN, XV. L. MOATEE.

